It's the end of the year again, and it is also meant to be the end of the world today, so I may as well let you all know how the last 12 months have been for myself.
Ears: Little Red
January: British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Antigua.
We brought in the year in the BVI's, on a guest trip however so it wasn't all fun and games. On the same trip we also checked out Anguilla as well as where I currently am in SXM. Afterwards it was down to Antigua which was us for the next two months.
I also had a visit from Heerey to Antigua for almost a week. Chilling out having barbecues on the beach as well as windsurfing and comparing pina colada's wasn't the worst way to introduce a friend to the Caribbean.
You may think there is a lot of travel happening to see so many countries by boat in such a little time, but it is literally like going through Moreton Bay, except each island is almost a different country.
February: Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados
Not much really happened through February, we were based in Antigua, mainly catching up on things that needed to be done after a manic 6 weeks of crossing the Atlantic and doing a guest trip almost back to back. The definite highlight of the month was my nephew Finn being born on the 1st. Lowlight - being on the other side of the world on the 1st.
I also snuck a little trip down to Barbados - mainly for "Business" to get my visa for the United States - but I still count it.
March: Antigua, Barbuda, Sint Maarten, British Virgin Islands, St. Barthelemy.
March is the racing month for us, first off the the BVI Regatta, which attracted around a dozen boats, preceding the main event, The St. Barths Bucket which keeps over 40 boats busy for the week (although there are a few Perini's that get in the way!).
April: Antigua, Montserrat
The Caribbean Season was done and was a good time for us to relax a bit. We saw almost every inch of Antigua as well as a birds eye view of the volcano ravaged Montserrat. I also jumped on a boat "Nordwind" for the Antigua Classic Regatta, which my brother likes to think of as a good practise for the main event in June.
May: Antigua, Bermuda, USA
By May we were ready to leave the Caribbean for the big smoke of New England in the United States, the week long crossing was broken up by a three day stopover in Bermuda due to Hurricane Alberto making a similar route up the coast. Leaving the 30c temps of the sunny Caribbean, our first taste of the US was single digit temperatures and a fog so thick that just seeing the bow of the boat was difficult.
I also reignited my flame with New York, with the first of many trips to the Big Apple happening on our first weekend in the States.
June: USA, Australia
I went home for a few weeks in June, it coincided with my birthday and the local classic regatta which we took part in (and won). It all ended up in one big dock party for my welcome home, birthday and regatta celebration - the party actually made the press! I also got to hang with Finn for the first time, and sadly Nana for the last time.
July: USA
Back in the States and after a couple of weeks in a shipyard in the redneck area of Massachusetts, we found ourselves waking up next to the Statue of Liberty. A week on show in New York was almost hilarious in the amount of interest we had. People asking if we were a cruise ship, navy ship, restaurant as well as questions from people who just seem to be out of their mind. After a week, it was back to Rhode Island for a few days before heading north to the Canadian Border on our big trip for the summer.
August: USA
A month that took us from Maine, through New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and back to New York. Saw some really cool fishing villages and holiday havens as well as Boston, Cape Cod and New York.
I rendezvoused with my parents in New York which was awesome however way too short lived.
September: USA, Australia
Coming home again this time to celebrate the wedding day of two of my best friends, I was lucky enough to be best man. The rest of the time was spent with my family after what had been a difficult month for all.
We also enjoyed a few weeks of decent surf in Rhode Island. It was before it got too cold and the locals were surprisingly friendly. Not to mention the crowds being almost non-existent at a few reefs when no more than 300m away was a pus beachbreak crowded with the commoners. Weird.
October: USA
Back in the States, we had a few more trips to New York, Boston and everywhere in between. We experienced our second Hurricane of the year, with Sandy virtually walking down the street and camping in the neighbours backyard. Top windspeed was 80knots we sat alright, it was warm and it only lasted a day. I say that because the next week was Winter Storm Agatha, three days of 60+ knots in temperatures that kissed freezing. Life sucked that week.
November: USA
Life started to get cold, snow storms and frost became an ever present possibility, and the sun seemed to be setting before it even made it's mark on the day. Life almost became nocturnal in a sense, starting and finishing the work day in the dark and almost being stuck on the boat simply because it was too cold. Still got to New York and Boston on the odd occasion though.
December: USA, St. Martin, Sint Maarten
Completing the full revolution after migrating south for the winter, I'm now sitting here in tropical heat waiting for the world to end with a Pina Colada in hand. It's already the 22nd back home and they still seem alright so I think it is time to celebrate another year!
Wishing all my friends and family a safe and happy Christmas and New Year!
Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
Antigua Classic Regatta
Struggling, Antigua
Mike, Cam, Jase and myself, Antigua
Zorbing Safety Cord, Antigua
Bus, British Virgin Islands
The Baths, BVI's
North Atlantic on the way to USA
The Bucket, St. Barth's
Shirley Heights, Antigua
Bermuda
Tequila during the Gaffers weekend at home
Wedding
Welcome to Rhode Island
Tuckermans Surf Check, Rhode Island
Fall Bike Ride, Rhode Island
Cape Cod Feeds, Massachusetts
Star Spangled, Boston Red Sox
Rations - NYC, NY
Catch of the Day - Maine
Polo, Rhode Island
Grand Central - NYC
Times Square - NYC
Getting Ready for Sandy
NYC
Boston Red Sox
Wake Up, NYC
15 Stories up - NYC
Cam and Me unimpressed - Empire State NYC
Patriots - Massachusetts
Very Nice - Boston Celtics
Trimming up for the Caribbean - North Atlantic and heading South
I am happily writing this from the warmth of the Caribbean winter in St. Martin, or Sint Maarten (whatever side of the fence you are sitting on). Yes it is the place made famous by SXM and the Sunset bar on Maho beach. It's a place that the Seppo tourists love, escaping the winter for a week in duty free heaven to smell some jet fumes from the exhaust of a 737 and turn red from the sun of the 18th parallel.
The trip down was not too bad, we had plenty of wind and an awkward sea for the first day or so (resulting in plenty of green faces and vomitrons). It did get better though, the countless layers of warm clothing were shed within 2 days of leaving Rhode Island and soon we were doing our best to lose our winter white skin. A few Mahi-Mahi were caught on the penultimate day, and one last night of 40knots almost on the nose from Huey really made us savour dropping anchor in Simpson Bay at St. Martin.
We will only be hear for a week, then the next stop is St. lucia and the Grenadines for a month over Christmas and into the new year.
Finally we should be leaving in the next few days, leaving the snow and ice of Newport for certainly much greener pastures of St. Maarten in the Caribbean. We will be having a few weeks there before going further south to St. Lucia and the Grenadines to bring in the new year.
Here are a few photo's of the last few weeks in Rhode Island and also a little trip we did to New York.
New York was it's usual self, except we went to the MOMA and also saw the Book of Mormon, which for those uncultured beings, is a Broadway Show, written and directed by the South Park guys. I also bumped into my mate Nath, which was a real treat, if only for a few hours. We did manage to go past the Soup Nazi's shop, have a beer in the bar from How I Met Your Mother (looks nothing like it to be honest), and have a horse and carriage ride through Central Park.
Anyway that's me signing out from the United States, yes you are a bit weird, but you have been a pleasure and hopefully will see you soon.
Ears: Jimmy Eat World
New York Yacht Club saying goodbye to summer in Newport as the Fog descends on green slippery slide lawn and flag pole.
The same Cape Cod trip day (see below) eventually landed us in TD Garden, Boston. Also known as the home of the Celtics and the Bruins. Once again we somehow managed to find our way into the corporate box.
This finally rounded out the Big 4 for me, that being Ice Hockey, Baseball, American Football and Basketball. One startling fact however is of the 4 games I went to, only one home team (the one I was supporting) won on the day.
The New York Rangers (always strong) lost the ice hockey to Tampa Bay on my first trip four years ago.
Boston Red Sox beat Atlanta this year (which is funny as it was the Sox worst season in a long time).
Patriots (the most dominant team of the last 10 years) lost to the Cardinals.
And on this night, the Celtics (made the Eastern Conference final last year) lost to the Bucks.
Luckily for the home team, I don't think I will be back for a little while!
Ears: Tycho
Our Box was one of those ones with its own toilet and fridge and stuff.
